On Thursday, at least 20 Palestinians died in Gaza City while waiting for humanitarian aid, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health. This incident led to conflicting reports from Hamas and Israel about how the deaths occurred.
The Ministry of Health stated that Israeli forces killed the Palestinians on Thursday night while they were waiting for aid distribution. The latest update from health officials indicated that 155 others were injured in the incident.
The Hamas-run organization posted a statement on Facebook, saying, “What happened at the Kuwaiti roundabout points to hidden intentions of the occupation to commit a new, horrible massacre.”
Hamas shared a statement on pro-Iranian Telegram channels, claiming that Israeli forces had killed over 30 civilians and that 23 had been taken to hospitals.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied reports that troops had fired on Palestinians waiting for aid.
The military urged the media to carefully assess the incident and rely on credible information as they assess it thoroughly. The statement was posted on Telegram..
Israeli spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated, “Palestinian gunmen opened fire near Gazan citizens an hour before a humanitarian aid convoy” approached.
He wrote in a tweet, “The IDF continues its investigations into what happened, while intensifying its efforts to bring humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip.” Israeli spokesperson Avichay Adraee accused Hamas terrorists of harming Gazan residents and spreading lies to blame Israel.The tragic deaths highlight the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. In late February, more than 100 Palestinians also died as they scrambled for aid in Gaza City. That incident also resulted in conflicting accounts, with Hamas and Palestinians accusing Israel of opening fire and Israeli officials blaming an aggressive crowd for trampling on one another.
These recent deaths add to a growing death toll in Gaza, with reports indicating more than 31,000 people have died since the war began in October. Israel has rejected calls for a cease-fire and is determined to completely destroy Hamas in retaliation for the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, which resulted in around 1,200 deaths and approximately 250 hostages, about 100 of whom are still being held in Gaza. The United Nations is warning of famine in Gaza as humanitarian aid enters at a much slower pace than before the war.
The Biden administration is dropping aid into Gaza and planning to construct a pier off the coast to improve the delivery of food and water, but this is expected to take up to two months, according to the Pentagon.
This situation has raised concerns in the U.S., particularly among Democrats, who want to see increased aid and support for Palestinians.
Despite this, the Biden administration and most Democrats have refrained from calling for a permanent cease-fire, even as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in U.S. history, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week.
requested new elections
in Israel when the timing is appropriate.
At least 20 Palestinians lost their lives while they waited for help in Gaza City on Thursday, according to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Ministry of Health, a heartbreaking event that led to conflicting reports from Hamas and Israel about how they were killed. The Ministry of Health stated that the Palestinians were fatally wounded by Israeli forces on Thursday night… called for new elections in Israel when the time is right.
